1 Timothy 3

1 Timothy 3 is the third chapter of the First Epistle to Timothy in the New Testament of the Bible, pertaining to letters written by Saint Paul to Saint Timothy.

Qualifications for Overseers
1 Timothy 3 includes some of Saint Paul's advice to his younger colleague Saint Timothy on how to run the Catholic Church. It contains qualifications for "overseers" (bishops), saying that bishops must be monogamous, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, gentle, not a drunkard, not quarrelsome, and not corrupted by money. It also outlines the specific details on who can become a priest, saying that the person must be strong in their own house (as it would be bad for a man who did not know how to manage his own house to occupy a position in which he managed God's house) and keeping his children submissive, could not be a recent convert so that they would not be conceited, and had to be well-liked.

Qualifications for Deacons
Paul also includes qualifications for deacons, who must likewise be dignified, not alcoholic, and not greedy. If they proved themselves blameless, they could become deacons, and their wives had to also be dignified and faithful in all things. Deacons had to manage their children and households well, and had to have great confidence in their faith as followers of Jesus.